Chihuly and the Phipps Conservatory

By Michele Koskinen

One of my favorite glass artist is Dale Chihuly. His oversized brilliant pieces are vibrant and so much fun. I recently visited the Phipps Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh over the Christmas holiday. The Phipps has an exibit of  Chihuly that is interwoven in the displays throughout the gardens. Along the way I found another favorite, orchids. Orchids and Chihuly what a day.  At times like these I wish I had a huge greenhouse to grow exotic tropical plants. They are beautiful and can always make you feel transported to a far away place. I can’t wait to go to the Flower Show and see the Hawaii fantasies.

So come along as we go through the gardens on a dreary winter’s day waiting for spring.

If you ever get to Pittsburgh the Phipps is a definite stop for garden lovers and art lovers too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Chihuly

http://phipps.conservatory.org/

Seedlings you buy, seedlings you grow, or just plant the seeds right in the garden

By Patricia Beynan

I like instant gratification in my garden.  I found a place to buy inexpensive seedlings ready to plant last year and used their seedlings to make my naked plot a garden. It was the first year for my community garden, and I'd spent a lot of time improving the soil, removing the rocks, adding amendments and raking and mounding to raise the level of the garden. Therefore, I wanted a garden with green things right away, my reward for all that hard work.  My first green things were three kinds of lettuce, cabbage, spinach, and peas.

Other people arrived with home grown seedlings in toilet paper tubes and peat pots that they'd been growing on window sills and under lights since there was still snow on the ground.  I'm trying my hand at growing my own this year too, but I'll remember where my bargain plants came from last year in case I need a little more instant gratification.

My big success with planting from directly into the garden came from two sources.  First, I pulled some pole beans from a pile of tree trimmings next to the gardens and grew on a tepee of poles .  They grew not as tall as I expected, but were endlessly prolific even during the record rains of August that drowned my cucumbers and melons.  The second, a package of marigold seeds provided dozens of plants that I transferred from their original positions around the tomato plants to form a perimeter of orange and gold.  They bloomed far into the fall, dropping the blooms and seeds into the garden when I was neglectful of my deadheading duties.  I expect I'll be finding new volunteer seedlings all over the space when I get into it this spring 

So, instant gratification=planting seedlings, but it is the more expensive option.  If you want the satisfaction of do it yourself, get out your peat pots, and plant your own six weeks before you want them in the ground.  For the fast growers, put them right into the ground, and stand back and let that beanstalk spring up. 

Cells, Flats or pots

From Horticulture Magazine

Cells, Flats or Pots

Submitted by Meghan Shinn on February 7, 2012 – 11:12 amOne Comment

   

  

Should I start seeds in cells, flats or pots?

Answer: Each kind of seed-starting container has its advantages. Read the points listed below, then think about what you are growing and how and when you plan to transplant your seedlings outdoors. The best choice should stand out.

Cells: These are trays split into individual compartments. You would sow several seeds per cell, then cut off the weakest seedling(s) leaving just one seedling growing in each cell. Each plant’s root system would develop within its own cell, making it easy to transplant them individually to specific sites or containers. (Their roots do not become tangled.) It is easy to remove seedlings from cells if you don’t want to reuse the tray; you can just push the bottom of the cell up until the seedling pops out, rootball and all.

Pots: Pots have mostly the same advantages as cells. You can sow the seeds and trim the seedlings to end up with one plant per pot, each with a distinct root system. Pots aren’t as flexible as cells, so you can’t just push/pop the seedlings out at transplanting time. On the other hand, you can choose pots that are larger than cells, which are typically quite small. This is an advantage with seeds started very early. If those were started in cells, they would likely require transplanting to a larger pot before the time came to move them outdoors. Starting with a larger pot to begin with avoids this middle step.

Flats, or trays: These are shallow, rectangular pans with no dividing lines, just their four perimeter walls. Flats are a good choice if you’re planning to transplant the seedlings into the garden as clumps. You can scoop out a grouping of seedlings all at once and plant them in a large, wide hole together. Otherwise, you would need to disentangle their roots, which could be difficult.

There is a fourth choice for seed starting—the plantable pot. These can be pellets that expand into a mesh/peat-mix pot when soaked in water; biodegradable peat pots (Jiffy is one brand) or CowPots that you fill with planting mix; or homemade versions created from newspaper with a mold. The added advantage of these containers is that they can be planted in the ground with the seedling; there is no need to remove the seedling first, because the container will ultimately break down on its own.

Image attribution: Michael Bemmerl. Rights.
_______________________________________

Hellebores: Beautiful Flowers All Winter

By Loretta DeMarco

Winter blooming Hellebores are a welcome sight blooming in the winter snows of the Delaware Valley.  Their extensive, woody root systems enable them to thrive and bloom in freezing temperatures.  In my Philadelphia garden the earliest blooming Hellebore (Heleborus foetitus) blooms as early as December and may continue into April. In a cool spring some species will continue blooming into May, by which time they will set seed and stop producing flowers. 

There are about 20 species of Hellebores, however the ones you are most likely to find in area nurseries like Pimex, Holods, and Robertsons, and at the big box stores are H. niger, H. orientalis, and H. x hybridus.  Others will need to be ordered on line or purchased at special nurseries. 

H. niger, commonly called the Christmas Rose, gets its name from its black root.  It has leathery green or blue green leaves, depending on the species, and produces white flowers.  It does not bloom at Christmas in our climate.  It blooms here in late January, Feb depending on the weather.  In this year of no winter to speak of, it started blooming in my garden on January 8 and is still going strong.  It is Evergreen and grows to about 12” tall.

H. Orientalis, or the oriental Hellebore, is commonly called the Lenten Rose.  Like the so-called Christmas Rose, it isn’t likely to bloom for lent in our climate.  Orientalis is a slow growing plant that dislikes being disturbed and is slow to recover when moved.  Its blooms are Pink, Purple, White, or near white.  It will naturalize under the right conditions and the evergreen foliage makes it a good ground cover once established.   It blooms here in March and grows to 16-20” tall.

H. x hybridus.  Hellebores are vigorous cross pollinators.  This vigorous cross pollination produces the hybrids and these hybrids make up the biggest group of hellebores you’re likely to find.  The hybrids are larger more vigorous plants and produce some of the most interesting and beautiful flowers. 

Cultivation

Hellebores grow well in almost all types of soil and in almost all types of garden conditions. They perform reliably in zones 4 through 7 and are untouched by rabbits or deer.  Like Hostas, they are commonly sold as shade plants because they will grow and flower in shade.  However they will grow and flower better in a bit of sun. 

They are not fussy except in that they cannot tolerate wet feet – especially not in winter.  They like water but they require good drainage.  They need a bed deep enough for their extensive root run.  And they prefer a soil with high organic content. 

When planting, add compost to the planting hole and backfill with a mixture of ½ removed soil and ½ organic matter.

Mulch with compost in the spring.  Good soil compost is all the fertilizer they’re going to need.  If your soil is not in good condition, fertilize them immediately after the flowering season (May-July) with a good slow release fertilizer.  Then start to mulch with compost every spring.

Allow 12” to 2½ ft between plants.  Some of them, (particularly the hybrids) mature into big plants.  Spacing information should be on the plant tag.

Spring is the season you are most likely to find Hellebores in the stores.  Look for heavenly hellebores - one of the underused garden superstars!

Vegetables that grow in the shade

Ten Vegetables You Can Grow Without Full Sun

By Colleen Vanderlinden, from About.com Guide

When most people picture a vegetable garden, they imagine a spot that bakes in the sun all day. For some vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, and squash, this is the ideal site. What if we want to grow vegetables, but don't have a site like this "ideal" one available? There are plenty of vegetables that will grow well without full sun. Those of us who have shade can grow vegetables, too.

Basically, a good rule to remember is that if you grow a plant for the fruit or the root, it needs full sun. If you grow it for the leaves, stems, or buds, a little shade will be just fine.

Keep in mind that no vegetable will grow in full, dense shade. The following crops will produce with three to six hours of sun, or fairly constant dappled shade, per day.

1.Salad Greens, such as leaf lettuce, arugula, endive, and cress.

2.Broccoli

3.Cauliflower

4.Peas

5.Beets1

6.Brussels Sprouts2

7.Radishes3

8.Swiss Chard4

9.Leafy Greens, such as collards, mustard greens, spinach, and kale

10. Beans

In some ways, growing in a site with part shade is easier than growing in full sun. You won't have to water as often, and crops that are quick to bolt in hot weather, such as lettuces and spinach, will grow quite a bit longer given some shade.

The best thing about knowing that these crops will successfully grow with some shade is that you'll be able to get more produce from your garden. Even if you're lucky enough to have an area with full sun that you can reserve for a vegetable garden, knowing which plants will take some shade will help you get the most out of your space. You can use that sunny space to grow the sun-lovers: peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, corn, and squashes. The other crops, those that do well in the shade, can be tucked in anywhere. Grow some beets or swiss chard in your part-sun perennial border. Grow some lettuce or radishes in a container or window box. Make use of the space you have, in both sun and shade, and you can easily double the amount of vegetables you would usually get.

Having a shady garden doesn't mean you're destined to live a life devoid of fresh garden vegetables. By making the most of what you have, you can harvest lettuces, peas, and other tasty veggies from spring through fall.

This About.com page has been optimized for print. To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://organicgardening.about.com/od/vegetablesherbs/a/shadeveggies.htm

©2012 About.com, Inc., a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.